


The Heart Beneath the Blade

by magumarashi



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Age Difference, Asexual Character, F/M, Polyamorous Character, they're both adults but since people get Weird about this shit im tagging it anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2019-07-02 02:57:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15787548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magumarashi/pseuds/magumarashi
Summary: Neither of them thought a relationship would be possible. But in the heat of battle—blade against blade—somehow their feelings reached each other.





	The Heart Beneath the Blade

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is not strictly in line with canon timelines; it’s based more on events in the order I experienced them as a player. 
> 
> I hc Seofon as somewhere on the aroace spectrum and I thought it would be cute to explore that aspect a little bit in this; meanwhile Djeeta is a poly force of nature (as I’ve hinted at in other fics) and has been aged up to 20-21.
> 
> This fic is also technically contiguous with my [other Granblue fics](https://archiveofourown.org/users/magumarashi/works?fandom_id=5015311), but can be read on its own.
> 
> Art for this fic can be found [here!](http://magu-art.tumblr.com/post/177357582612/i-wrote-a-seofondjeeta-oneshot-fic-bc-im-in-that)

_There’s something special that happens when two skilled swordsmen cross blades._

_The melody of steel against steel. The rhythm of bodies moving in tandem, like a dance—meeting each other’s every movement. There’s nothing quite like it in the world._

_I’ve spent my whole life chasing this feeling. Challenging the most powerful swordsmen in the skies, adding their swords to my collection as astral trophies. At first I could recall the details of each fight with perfect clarity, but after a while, things started to blend together. When you’ve fought over three thousand swordsmen, it’s to be expected, isn’t it? The outcome was always the same._

_But fighting_ **_her_** _, on the Grandcypher deck—testing my mettle against the Seven-Star Sword, its gold and crimson blade against mine—everything that led up to this encounter suddenly clicked into place. The emotions that crystallized in that moment were unlike anything I’d ever felt before._

_“Ah… so this is love.”_

 

※

 

“You’re in love with her, Seofon.”

There was a _clack_ as the leader of the Eternals set his glass down on the bar counter, perhaps a bit harder than intended.

“Love?!” he said, eyeing his masked Erune companion nervously. “W-what makes you think that?!”

“Your transparent reaction, for one thing.” Seox lifted the edge of his mask so that he could discreetly take a sip from his own drink. “For another, you’ve hardly been able to shut up about her for weeks. This is what, the third time in a row you’ve tried to tell the same anecdote?”

“I-I just like bragging about her!” Seofon blurted. “No one’s tried to awaken a Revenant Weapon in years, so her progress on it is extremely impressive! You know, she’s getting really close—!”

“Uh-huh,” said Seox, unconvinced. There was a smile in his tone.

Seofon turned to the small Harvin woman seated on his other side.

“Hey, Niyon, back me up—I’m not in love, am I?”

Niyon set her drink down and closed her eyes, listening intently.

“Hm. The melody of your heart…” she said after a time. “It’s…warm. It sounds so excited, but a little bit nervous too… You may not be in love, per se, but you are almost certainly infatuated.”

“N…. Niyon….” At his crewmate’s frank diagnosis, Seofon hung his head in defeat.

“Oooo, Seofon’s got a _crush!!”_ another voice chimed in; Threo sat beside Seox, working her way through a third plate of sliders.

“I do _not!!”_ Seofon insisted. “You’re all being ridiculous. This is just your big bro Seofon looking out for his friends, as usual! Nothing more, nothing less!”

“Seofon and Djeeta, sittin in a tree!” Threo chanted. “K-I-S-S-I-N—!”

“T-That’s quite enough!” Seofon stood abruptly, face red enough to match the lining of his cloak. “I’m heading back to the ship—I’ll pay the tab in the morning. Don’t eat _too_ much, Threo.”

“Just one more plate!” Threo promised; she’d finished off the sliders and stacked the crumb-covered plate on top of several more that she’d accumulated throughout the evening.

“Fine, _one_ more.”

“Yaaaay!”

Leaving the other three to their own devices, Seofon set his empty glass down on the counter and left the bar. Outside, the night air was cool and crisp; it brought some relief to his burning cheeks. The noise of the other diners faded as Seofon headed down the street, thumbs hooked under the belts holding his dual scabbards in place. He felt a little guilty for leaving so early—he’d been the one to invite his reluctant compatriots out to dinner, after all, and these three were the only ones who’d taken him up on it—but for once he couldn’t bear the thought of having to endure their teasing. Not when the topic was so deeply personal.

“Love, huh…?” he mused to himself.

He didn’t want to believe it. The others _had_ to be wrong about this, for how could they possibly understand him better than he understood himself? He wasn’t even sure he knew what romantic love felt like; he had always figured he’d know it when it happened. That was the way everyone made it sound, anyway—something unmistakable. For him, though, that moment had yet to come.

Whatever “this” was, surely it wasn’t a crush? Seofon didn’t really believe in things like love at first sight.

Even so… if nothing else, he was at least inclined to take Niyon at her word. She was rarely wrong about this kind of thing; with her powers, she was naturally far more in-tune with his emotions than he was. This wouldn’t have been the first time she’d called him out on bluffs he wasn’t even aware of making. So, there was a possibility he really _was_ in love, or something like it. With no prior experience, he wouldn’t even know that’s what he was feeling.

At the very least it would explain why he hadn’t been able to get his mind off her lately. Why he’d been stopping by the Knickknack Shack more often, hoping to run into her there…  

 _Get ahold of yourself, Seofon!_ Seofon rubbed his temples, as if to banish the thoughts from his mind. _You’ve only met her a few times. You know next to nothing about her, only that she’s working toward awakening the Seven-Star Sword. She seems responsible enough, but if it turns out that she doesn’t have the capacity to wield that kind of power…_

Seofon tried to steer himself away from that dark line of thought. By now he was already almost back at the ship. Most of the other Eternals were out pursuing their own agendas; the ship’s portholes were dark.

_For now, I suppose watching over her progress is enough. Besides, isn’t she too young for me? I’m already almost thirty…_

_Ahh, wait—what am I thinking??_

Color rushing to his face anew, Seofon was glad that nobody else was around to see him dash back onto the ship.

 

※

 

Satchel stuffed to bursting with orbs, dragon scales, and bottled whorls, Djeeta made her way to the Knickknack shack with a light heart. She’d finally been able to gather the last of the materials for her Revenant Weapon’s next upgrade, and she was excited to move on to the next step.

_And maybe Seofon will be there again…_

They’d crossed paths a couple of times now: first at the Knickknack Shack, when the leader of the Eternals had rushed out of the store without even giving his name. He popped up in the shop again when Djeeta returned for another upgrade; this time he cheerfully introduced himself and told Djeeta about his crew. He struck her as a little eccentric, but she was left feeling like she wanted to know more about him.

Their next few encounters had been on the beach in Auguste, where both crews had come for a little R&R. Dressed in little other than his “formal wear for the dead of summer,” Seofon certainly drew the eye… and Djeeta had a hard time keeping her eyes off him.

_Ah, no, Djeeta, don’t think about that now…. Even if he does have those perfectly chiseled abs…. And thighs that could crush a man….. God I wish that were me….._

Trying and failing to shake those distracting thoughts from her mind, Djeeta crossed the threshold into the Knickknack Shack. As usual, the shop was bustling with activity: shoppers of all different races and callings perused the shelves and tables. Djeeta’s heart sank a little as she realized she didn’t recognize a single face among them.

“Welcome, welcome~!” Sierokarte’s bubbly voice floated over from the back of the shop. “Oh! Djeeta, you’re back!”

“I am!” said Djeeta. She held up her satchel. “I’m here to upgrade the Seven-Star Sword.”

“I figured you might be!” Sierokarte giggled. “Come on back!”

Djeeta made her way to the back of the shop and passed under one of the open tent flaps. Beyond it was a smaller tent with many sides open to the air. Various implements for forging and smithing lay on tables, and unfinished weapons cooled on wrought-iron trays. A portable forge had been set up in one corner, glowing brightly from the inside. Sierokarte led Djeeta over to an empty table, and she was able to put down her bag.

“That sure went by fast!” said Sierokarte cheerily. “It took you ages to get the materials for the last recipe. I’m impressed at how fast you did it this time!”

“Well, let’s just say I’m feeling a little more motivated now that we’re getting closer,” said Djeeta. She unsheathed the golden sword at her side and carefully lay it on the table. “Oh, by the way—has Seofon stopped by recently?”

“Hm? He was actually just here the other day,” said Sierokarte. She walked from table to table, looking for a particular tool. “It’s funny, he asked about you, too!”

“He did?” Djeeta’s heart leapt a little.

“Yep. Just wanted to see how the Seven-Star Sword was coming,” said Sierokarte. “I don’t think he expected you to make it this far!”

“Ah, I see…” said Djeeta. “If only he’d come today, eh Siero?”

“Mm-hm.” Sierokarte hummed in agreement, though there was something playful in her tone. “Djeeta… don’t tell me you’ve got your eyes on Seofon too!”

“Huh—?!” Djeeta flushed a little. “What do you mean—!?”

“Come on, don’t think I can’t tell!” said Sierokarte, winking. “You always have a certain look in your eyes when you’re talking about a boy you like!”

“H-hey…!!”

“Pu-pu-pu!!” Sierokarte giggled. “You’re so easy to read! Looking to add Seofon to your collection too?”

“It’s not a _collection,”_ Djeeta insisted. “I just… happen to be romantically involved with several people at once. It happens!”

“Hee hee! You’re such a maneater, Djeeta!” Sierokarte smiled at her. “But it’s cute! I’m glad you have so many people who make you happy.”

Djeeta’s relationship status wasn’t exactly a secret. She’d always been this way, dreaming of the sparkling princes and dashing rogues she might find on a journey across the sky. She took to others quickly, going well out of her way to help anyone who caught her fancy. She was easily smitten by handsome boys, and unwilling to limit her love to just one person—occasionally to her detriment. But even some of her enemies had since become her closest partners.

She was always upfront about it, of course. It usually accompanied her confession of love: _I can’t be exclusive to you alone, and I don’t mind if you need to have people other than me_. So far, it hadn’t caused any problems; each subsequent partner appreciated her honesty. She’d somehow been able to balance all of them for this long, and she wouldn’t have had it any other way.

 _I hope that’s not a problem for Seofon, either…_ Djeeta found herself thinking.

“So you’ve got your eyes on Seofon,” said Sierokarte, pulling Djeeta from her thoughts. “Any reason in particular, or just the usual?”

“I’m just… really charmed by him,” Djeeta admitted. “I want to get to know him better, because he seems really interesting. So… more of the usual, I guess!”

“That’s our Djeeta!” said Sierokarte knowingly. “But I’d be careful about falling _too_ hard this time. Seofon’s only got eyes for swords!”

“Aw, Siero—!”

“It’s true! He’s a real heartbreaker!” The tiny shopkeeper giggled. “But since you’ve got the Seven-Star Sword, maybe you’ll be able to get his attention… long enough for him to make a copy of it for his collection!”

Djeeta couldn’t help laughing.

_I collect boys, he collects swords… ah, maybe this wouldn’t work out after all…_

Djeeta tried to focus as Sierokarte began blending the new materials for the forge, but it was hard; her mind kept wandering to the possibilities. It was only later, when Sierokarte handed back the newly-upgraded sword alongside a fresh recipe, that she managed to leave her daydreams behind.

Once she got back to the ship, though, she quickly lost herself in thought again.

Djeeta knew the chances of him returning her feelings were slim at best—after all, this was Seofon, the strongest swordsman in the skies. The leader of the Eternals, a crew powerful enough to alter the course of history. She’d seen his fearsome abilities in action; he certainly lived up to the moniker of Star Sword Sovereign. Would someone like that really take notice of her, even if she had a reputation of her own…?

_“He asked about you, too!”_

She couldn’t help dwelling on what Sierokarte had said. Even if she knew, logically, that he was only interested in the sword…

Could she pretend, for a moment, that he was curious about her too?

  
※

_Both of us thought that something like this was outside the realm of possibility; that our budding feelings couldn’t be returned._

 

_But in the moment our blades crossed, our hearts connected._

 

※

 

Seofon insisted on throwing an impromptu party to celebrate his induction into the crew (along with Djeeta’s success in fully awakening a Revenant Weapon) and the Grandcypher crew was more than happy to join in. Lowain and bros whipped up a big meal, while Lamretta brought out the wine and sake—luckily, this time the other crew members managed to snatch a bottle or two out of her hands so that the rest of them could share. Seofon easily fit in with the rest of the group; he joked around with the younger members, and showed off his sword collection whenever he was given the slightest opportunity. His charisma seemed to electrify those around him: something Djeeta had noticed during their previous encounters, but became much more obvious seeing him interact with the crew. She even caught Sandalphon cracking the occasional smile at his jokes.

The party started winding down as the evening faded into night; the crew began to wander off toward their cabins. Seofon and Djeeta chatted together over some coffee as the noise around them faded. A yawning Vane waved to her as he left, supporting Lancelot with his shoulder—the latter had had a bit too much to drink. Katalina herded a sleepy Lyria and Vyrn out of the mess hall, despite the duo’s protests that it wasn’t bedtime yet.

After helping Lucio put the coffee equipment away, Sandalphon approached Djeeta and put a warm hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t stay up _too_ late, Singularity.”

“I won’t,” Djeeta smiled at him. “Gnight, Sandalphon. Lucio too.”

“Pleasant dreams,” said Lucio, smiling gently. “And it was good to meet you, Seofon. You’ve reassured me that the sky realm is in good hands.”

“Ha ha! That’s tall praise from one of the primarchs!” said Seofon cheerily. “I’ll have to do my best to live up to it!”

Lucio’s smile widened a little in delight; he nodded to Sandalphon, and the two took their leave. With the two primarchs gone, the mess hall was mostly empty. Djeeta glanced back at Seofon, searching for another conversation topic.

_I wonder if I should ask about what happened earlier…_

Her heart still raced just thinking about it: the way the two of them fought, blade against blade… it was as though he’d been able to see through to her core, as if he understood her on a level no one else could reach. She’d never felt so _exposed_ during a fight before—which made her own swings more calculated, covering up her weaknesses, driving back at him to gain whatever ground she could. The Seven-Star Sword felt lighter in her hands than it ever had, and with every swing, it was as though she was slicing away at his facade. The man behind the jokes, Seofon of the Eternals, was not a force to be reckoned with. Beneath his lighthearted attitude was nothing but raw power, enough to bring down the heavens themselves.

The look in his eyes back then made her heart skip a beat—he was completely, utterly in tune with her, and she with him.

If he were fighting at his full strength, would they have killed each other?

“Um…” Djeeta started.

“Hm?” Seofon looked at her over the edge of his cup. All the fierceness from earlier was gone now; the friendly facade repaired.

“Actually, there’s something I wanted to talk to you about,” said Djeeta. “But, uh—can we go somewhere a little more private?”

Seofon glanced around the mess hall. Aside from kitchen staff finishing up the last of the dishes, the hall was empty. He returned to her with a quizzical look.

“I don’t wanna risk being interrupted,” Djeeta added.

“Fair,” said Seofon. “And I can assume this matter must be kept utmost secret?”

“Er… yeah. I’d rather it be a secret for now.”

“Alright.” Seofon stood, his cloak swishing. “Where are we headed?”

“My cabin, if that’s okay,” said Djeeta.

“Alright, then. Lead the way!”

After returning their mugs to the kitchen, the two of them headed to the upper decks. In hindsight, Djeeta was relieved she’d cleaned her room shortly before completing the Seven-Star Sword; she was able to offer Seofon a chair while she took a seat on the bed. The leader of the Eternals glanced around the room, taking notice of the weapons adorning the walls. A gilded katana caught his eye.

“Ah, that’s the Sinensis!” he said, nodding. “Absolutely beautiful—I never thought I’d see it in person. May I ask where…?”

“It was a present from one of the crew,” said Djeeta, smiling. Siegfried had given it to her.

“Oh—and you’ve got the Hauteclaire, too!!” said Seofon, his eyes on the next sword down. This one was shaped vaguely like a lightning bolt, a gold inlay bisecting the tempered green steel of the blade. “I’ve only seen drawings of it… They say the sword’s power increases the more you trust in your friends. Is that true??”

“I’ve actually never used it,” said Djeeta. “I didn’t want to damage such a pretty sword, so I’ve got it hanging in my room for now…”

“Hmhm, that’s understandable!” said Seofon knowingly. “But if you ever _do_ decide to use it… let me know so I can make a copy of it, alright? Hah—just kidding, of course!”

Djeeta giggled a little bit. Seofon’s eyes fell on the sword leaning against the edge of the bed. It was sheathed, but Seofon could tell what it was just by the ornate handle.

“And the Seven-Star Sword…” he said quietly. “If I hadn’t witnessed its power firsthand, I would never have believed such a thing could…”

He didn’t finish the rest of the sentence, but Djeeta was grateful that he’d steered the conversation toward what she wanted to discuss.

“Back there… you felt it too, didn’t you?” she said. “When we were fighting… I’ve never felt that way before.”

Seofon nodded, gravely. He brought his hand to his chest.

“Me either…” he admitted. “My heart’s still pounding… I’ve fought three thousand swordsmen of the highest caliber, and I’ve never had a fight like that.” He tightened his grip, bunching the fabric of his shirt between his fingers. “It felt like… how should I put this? Like a culmination of everything that led to this point.”

“Yeah!” said Djeeta. “Like my whole life… led to this…”

She trailed off.

“It sounds weird when you say it out loud, doesn’t it?” said Seofon gently.

“Y-yeah…” said Djeeta. “But it’s a relief to hear you feel the same way. And, um—I guess what I wanted to ask is…” She gulped before adding, brilliantly: “Do you wanna go out with me!?”

Seofon stared at her as if she’d suddenly turned into a monster.

“That came out wrong—!” Djeeta spluttered, her face reddening by the second. She’d thought out—multiple times—what she wanted to say to him if she ever got the chance to tell him how she felt. She’d somehow managed to forget every single word of it. “What I meant was—I want to get to know you better, and I was wondering if you’d be up for a date sometime? Agh, that didn’t come out right either… Uh—! Forget the date, let’s just—!”

“D-Djeeta, calm down a minute!” said Seofon, his own face flushed. “Er…! Take some time to get the words in order…”

He covered his face with his hand and looked away, as if that would do anything to hide his flush. Even his ears were red.

Djeeta took a few deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves.

“... okay, let me start over,” she said finally. “Seofon, I’ve had a crush on you for a long time, and I didn’t think it would ever be possible for you to like me back. But when we were fighting, I just—I don’t know, I felt _something_ back there, and I want to make sure I wasn’t imagining it. So um… I wanted to ask if you… would be willing to try going on a date with me… so I could get to know you better… yeah…”

Her confidence began to peter out; she shrunk back a little. Seofon finally looked back over at her, his face still a brilliant shade of red.

“You… want to go out with me…?” he said.

“Yeah…”

“But, I, er—I thought you had a boyfriend already…?” Seofon smiled awkwardly. “I was talking to your crewmates earlier, and they mentioned you having a partner, so I assumed…”

“Oh—that’s not a problem!” said Djeeta, perhaps a little more loudly than strictly necessary. “Y’see… I’ve never felt comfortable limiting myself to just one person. There’s a lot of people I love more than just as friends, and I’d be miserable if I had to keep burying my feelings. I’m always upfront about it, and everyone else knows—!”

“Everyone else…?” said Seofon, raising an eyebrow. “Just how many—?!”

“Uhh…. a lot…” said Djeeta with an awkward grin. “If that’s a dealbreaker for you, though, I totally understand—!”

“No, no—it’s fine! At least, I think it is?” Seofon responded. “I’ll admit, I’m not totally sure how to feel, but I’m a little relieved. When I heard you had a boyfriend, I just about lost hope that we could…”

Seeming to realize what he was saying, the leader of the Eternals clamped his mouth shut.

Now it was Djeeta’s turn to stare.

“So you really did…?”

“Like you?” Seofon finished for her. His cheeks flushed anew. “Yes. I think, anyway. If I had to put into words what I felt back there—I think I’m attracted to you. And whatever _this_ is—” he gestured vaguely, “—whatever relationship we happen to settle on, more than anything I want to spend more time with you, too.”

Djeeta breathed a sigh of relief, and Seofon echoed the gesture. For a while the two of them could only gaze at each other; Seofon smiled, and Djeeta couldn’t help following suit.

“Ahh,” he said, “Phew… that’s a weight off my chest…”

“Same,” said Djeeta. “I was so worried you’d have a partner already, or even be married…”

“You were?” said Seofon. And then, more quietly, “Do I look old enough to be married…?”

“I mean,” said Djeeta, “You’re handsome, you’re extremely charismatic, you have the chiseled body of a demigod, and your voice sounds like how dark chocolate tastes. Not to mention your age… so, yeah, I assumed someone like you would have a partner already…”

“I’m only 27,” said Seofon weakly. “And—dark chocolate? You think so?”

“Listen,” said Djeeta defensively.

“No, no, it’s fine, I’ve just never heard that before,” said Seofon. “And, er… actually, Djeeta, you’ll be my first.”

Djeeta’s mouth fell open. Seofon looked away sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.

“Wait… for real?!”   

“It’s not something I like talking about, for… obvious reasons,” Seofon continued. “‘The Great Star Sword Sovereign, Seofon of the Eternals, has never once had a romantic partner!’ You can see how that would be embarrassing. But the truth is that it’s just never occurred to me to pursue one. Romance and even sex just weren't things I thought about.”

“Huh…” said Djeeta. Having spent her whole life daydreaming about falling in love with princes and rogues, she couldn’t say she understood where Seofon was coming from. But she also knew that there were many kinds of people under the skies; that there were some whose priorities lay elsewhere didn’t surprise her in the least.

“It's not that I'm opposed to them,” Seofon added quickly, noticing her silence, “It's just.... for some reason they weren't ever on my radar until now. To be honest, it took hearing it from the other Eternals to realize my attachment to you was actually a crush!”

Djeeta giggled a little. Somehow, that sounded like something he would say.

“So you had no idea?”

“I really didn’t!” said Seofon apologetically. “At first I didn't believe them. After all, how would they know my feelings better than me? But during our fight earlier, squaring off against the Seven-Star Sword—I realized they were right.”

Djeeta smiled at him, smugly.

“You’re sure it’s _me_ you’re in love with, and not my sword?”

“Aw, Djeeta, that’s mean—!” Seofon couldn’t help laughing. “But you’re the one I like. Really. After all, you can’t cuddle with a sword, can you? Well—I guess you can, carefully… not that I’ve tried…”

Djeeta snorted, then dissolved into a helpless fit of giggles. Seofon found himself laughing along with her; he seemed a bit surprised that she was laughing so earnestly at one of his jokes. But that was why she’d fallen for him in the first place—his playful attitude made her feel at home around him, even just after they’d met.

Their laughter died down, and Seofon met her gaze boldly. It was clear he was a little out of his element: where other nervous boys would look away, unsure where to put their eyes, Seofon almost seemed to be trying to read her next move—as if he was still in battle.

“You can relax a little, it’s okay,” said Djeeta with a smile.

“Sorry…” said Seofon quietly. “I’m still a little bit nervous about all this…”

“You don’t have to be.” Djeeta patted the space next to her on the bed. “Here, come sit with me.”

Seofon rose and came to join her on the bed, armor clinking as he did so. Djeeta scooted a little closer to him and leaned on his shoulder. Seofon took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. Searching for a way to ease the tension, Djeeta changed the subject.

“Earlier…” she said, “Were you really holding back?”

“In our fight, you mean?”

“Yeah… it was all I could do to keep up with you back there. You were _amazing.”_

“Heheh,” Seofon puffed up a little at her praise, “But it’s true that I was holding back. After all, I only used _one_ sword, didn’t I?”

“That’s true…”

Seofon had shown off the power of his spirit sword arsenal on past occasions; it was a convenient way to dispatch whole groups of bandits and monsters. Djeeta couldn’t imagine how she would defend against that kind of power… but maybe with the Seven-Star Sword, such a feat would be possible.

“You know, Djeeta,” said Seofon, “Just because we’re together doesn’t mean I’m going to go easy on you next time we fight. I don’t want you to hold back on my account, either.”

“Of course not,” said Djeeta. “What fun would that be? I want to take you on at your full power someday, Seofon.”

“Hm, careful what you wish for!” said Seofon, cracking another smile. “But I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to it. Ah, I’m getting all excited again just thinking about it…!”

“Me too,” said Djeeta. “It’s almost funny.”

“What is?”

“If it took a battle to get us to realize our feelings for each other…” Djeeta went on, coyly, “I guess you could say it was love at first _fight!”_

The look on Seofon’s face at that moment—it was as though he was falling in love with her a second time over. All the uncertainty in his manner dissolved. He took her head in his hands, gently, and brought their foreheads together.

“You really are something,” he said quietly.

“There’s plenty more jokes where that came from,” Djeeta answered, grinning.

“Good. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Sitting this close to him, feeling his skin on hers… somehow, it was simultaneously relaxing and exciting to share this space with him. Seofon had the aura of calm after a storm. Even with untold power lurking below the surface, in a moment like this, he could be so gentle…

Djeeta leaned forward just enough to meet his lips with hers. He jumped a little bit, eyes flying open.

“Ah—! Djeeta?!”

“Was that no good?” Djeeta replied, quietly. “Sorry, I should’ve asked…”

“No, it was fine. Er…” Seofon looked away, flushing. “It was my first time, is all…”

Djeeta couldn’t help smiling.

_Ahh, he’s just so cute… it’s not fair._

“Would you like to give it another go?” she asked.

“You know…” Seofon reached around to the back of her neck, smiling. “I think I would…”

He pulled her into another soft kiss, and Djeeta breathed a contented sigh. How long had she been waiting for this? Ever since their first meeting at the Knickknack Shack, Djeeta had spent many months meticulously gathering materials and hunting monsters to bring the Seven-Star Sword closer to completion. There were times when she’d thought about giving up—was the power of the sword really worth all the extra trouble?

But sitting here with him, finally sharing the kiss she’d so often daydreamed about….  

Maybe, deep down, she’d been so committed to awakening the sword because she knew it would bring her closer to him.

And if that was the case…  it was well worth the wait.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is based on the kanji 忍 (shinobu), which consists of the heart radical (心) beneath the sword radical (刀). 忍 as a verb usually means “to endure” or “to conceal”, but it can also carry the meaning of “patience” or “perseverance.”
> 
> Also sorry not sorry for copping out and not actually showing their fight lmao... fight choreography was going to be beyond what I was willing to commit for this oneshot lmao
> 
> Anyway, thanks for reading!!


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